BBC Studios has partnered with the free-to-view satellite television provider Openview in South Africa to launch the multi-genre channel, BBC UKTV.
The BBC’s first free-to-view channel in South Africa will make its debut on Tuesday, October 18 – the broadcaster’s 100th birthday – and offer a variety of entertainment, natural history series, soaps and children’s shows from BBC Studios’ catalogue.
Commenting on the upcoming launch, Arran Tindall, senior VP, EMEA Key Markets, BBC Studios, said: “We are proud to partner with Openview to launch our first ever free-to-view channel in South Africa. The launch will enable us to reach wider audiences utilising the richness of the BBC’s catalogue across multiple genres. I can’t wait for new families in South Africa to experience the very best of British content and discover their new favourite shows”.
Pierre Cloete, commercial director Africa BBC Studios, added: “I am so excited for even more families in South Africa to access BBC Studios’ incredible catalogue of Bold, British shows. From British soaps, fascinating documentaries and children’s shows, BBC UKTV has been carefully crafted to match the viewing habits of the whole family, providing all age groups entertainment at every moment of the day”.
Marlon Davids, group executive for programming, said: “Openview is a growing platform and constantly adding new channels and genres to appeal to a broad audience. Earlier this year we added eXposed (a raw, unfiltered lifestyle and entertainment channel aimed at Gen Z), ePlesier (showcasing the most loved Turkish Telenovelas dubbed in Afrikaans), and The Home Channel+ (Homemakers and Gardeners delight). We are pleased and excited to give our audiences even more choice, and more of the best in world-class entertainment with the addition of BBC UKTV”.
The launch of BBC UKTV joins BBC Studios’ existing channel offering in the market including BBC Earth, BBC Brit, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies and BBC World News on DStv and BBC Kids which is available to MTN customers on the Play Store.
